Toy vehicle



July 7, 1964 E. w. NICHOLS ETAL TOY VEHICLE Filed Feb. 5, 1962 INVENTORS THEODORE W. TIPOTTER United States Patent "ice 3,140,100 TOY VEHICLE Earl W. Nichols, 2419 Davidson Ave., New York, N.Y., and Theodore W. Trotter, 88-15 Ashford St., Queens Village, N.Y.

Filed Feb. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 170,902 3 Claims. (Cl. 280-8104) This invention relates to improved toy vehicles, and more particularly, to an improved toy vehicle having three wheels and a very low center of gravity.

Many toy vehicles presently available on the market are subject to serious disadvantages in that they are unsafe for children to use or too diflicult for small children to operate satisfactorily. The customary two-wheeled scooter is a very unstable toy in that very good balance must be maintained in order to operate the device satisfactorily. Furthermore, numerous injuries occur due to the lack of side-wise stability of a scooter when a child attempts to stop it. Similarly, when a child is standing on the rear axle of a tricycle and pushing it, injuries often occur when he attempts to stop the tricycle by pulling back on the handle bars, causing the tricycle to pivot backwards, which results in a fall for the child, which can be dangerous.

Toy vehicles, such as tricycles and bicycles, and the like, are normally too difiicult for small children to operate. They require considerable muscular development before the pedals can be operated satisfactorily to cause propulsion of the tricycle. Furthermore, the child normally rides on a seat, which results in the center of gravity of the tricycle, with the child on the tricycle, being quite high, thereby resulting in a condition which is unstable in that the slightest tipping motion tends to upset the tricycle and the child, causing possible injury.

With the above-mentioned disadvantages and others in mind, it is the object of this invention to provide an improved toy vehicle which is safer to operate.

It is a further object to provide a three-wheeled vehicle of the scooter type which is considerably more stable than any such device which has been available hitherto.

A still further object is to provide a toy vehicle which has improved stability and ease of operation, which is less expensive to manufacture and is of sturdier construction.

In general, the device of this invention provides for a three-wheeled scooter-type device in which the rear wheels are spaced considerably apart from each other and are affixed to the rearward ends of a U-shaped frame member by means of separate stub shafts. A single frame member joins the handle bar support pivot and the handle bars mounted thereon to the U-shaped frame member. A platform is provided, superimposed on the U-shaped frame member, on which the child stands. The handle bar and its support are inclined rearwardly toward the center of the device. Relatively small diameter wheels are employed such that this factor, along with the remaining elements of the construction, provide for a device which is low to the ground and has a very low center of gravity.

The lowness of the center of gravity of the device and the position at which the child must stand in order to operate the device provide for a structure which is virtually impossible to overturn. The child propels the device by standing with one foot on the platform and grasping the handle bars with his hands and pushing from behind the rear wheels. All of these factors combined make for a device which has a much greater stability than any device previously available.

With the above objects and factors in mind, the device of this invention will be more clearly understood when 3,140,100 Patented July 7., 1964 taken in connection with the figures of this invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the device of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view; and

FIG. 3 is a rear end view.

The improved device of this invention is comprised of the following elements: a tubular U-shaped frame member 10; a joining member 11, which joins the U-shaped frame member 10 to the handle bar post 12; a handle bar support 13, pivotally attached to handle bar post 12 by means of bracket 14 and pin 15.

A front wheel 16 is freely rotatable on axle 17 which passes through the lower ends of handle bar support 13. The handle bars 18 are attached to the upper end of the handle bar support 13. Rear wheels 19 are pivotally carried on stub axles 20 which in turn are aifixed to U-shaped frame member 10. A platform 21 is provided, which is rigidly attached to U-shaped frame member 10.

U-shaped frame member 10 is conveniently a piece of tubular material bent in the form illustrated in the figures. Its shape provides space to position the platform 21 which, as contrasted to the well-known scooter, is substantially broader, thus providing more room on which the child can place his foot. While the device can be operated by the childs pushing from one side with one foot and with the other on the platform 21, it is more easily propelled by his pushing from behind the platform 21.

A rod member 22, attached on its respective ends to U-shaped frame member 10, may be provided for giving added support to the rear edge of platform 21. The rear edge of platform 21 may advantageously be bent down around rod 22 in order to prevent there being a sharp edge on which the child could possibly injure himself. If, however, the platform 21 is of sufliciently thick material, it may be bent down around and welded to the frame member 10. This would eliminate the need for rod member 22.

The short axles 20, on which wheels 19 are rotatably carried, are affixed to the rearmost end of U-shaped frame member 10. The platform 21 terminates well short of the position at which the axles 20 are attached to the U-shaped frame member 10.

The reason for the positioning of the axles 20 with respect to the rear edge of platform 21 is to insure that the weight of the child will always be centered well forward of the rotational axis of the rear wheels 19. This means that injuries resulting from pivoting a vehicle, such as a tricycle, about the axis of the rear wheels are largely, if not entirely, eliminated. The child, since his weight will be positioned on the platform, will always be well forward of the pivot point, and the result is that the device of this invention would require the child to lift his entire weight and the weight of the device in order to be able to cause a rearward pivoting of the device about the axis of the rear wheels.

The joining member 11 is also advantageously a tubular rod which is welded to the center of the U-shaped frame member 10 as illustrated. The longitudinal axis of the joining member 11 is inclined with respect to the horizontal by a fairly small angle. As will be pointed out below, this improves the stability of the device.

On the end of the joining member 11, opposite to the portion which is welded or otherwise rigidly attached to frame member 10, there is attached a tubular post element 12. This provides a bushing in which pin 15 freely rotates. The bracket 14, rigidly attached to handle bar support 13, is joined by means of pin 15 to post 12. The angle of the handle bar support 13 is such that its longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the joining member 11. The bracket 14 is positioned relatively near the front wheel 16, thus keeping the center of gravity of the device low.

The front wheel 16 is attached to the lower ends of the two tubular members which form the handle bar support 13 by means of an axis 17 in the normal manner.

The wheels 16, 19 of the device of this invention are, comparatively speaking, relatively small in diameter, again with the idea in mind of keeping the center of gravity of the device low.

The resulting structure is one which is extraordinarily stable. This arises since a child, in order to operate the device, must stand on platform 21 in a position which is such that his weight will be concentrated entirely on the platform 21 which is quite low. He may stand any place on platform 21 and still he will have the same amount of stability. The inclination of the handle bar support 13 rearwardly further tends to concentrate the weight of the child immediately over the platform 21, and further increases the amount of stability, which is inherent in the device of this invention.

The device of this invention has a great stability insofar as its low center of gravity and its ability to concentrate the weight of the rider at the most stable point are concerned. This front-to-back stability greatly exceeds the stability of a tricycle being propelled by a childs placing one foot on the axle and pushing from behind. Furthermore, it has a much greater side-wise stability than does a scooter, since its rear wheels are spaced a considerable distance apart.

The stability of the device of this invention is remarkable in that children of a very young age can operate the device of this invention. In actual practice it has been found that children who could barely walk or were just learning to walk can satisfactorily operate the device of this invention.

Another distinct advantage of the device of this invention is the simplicity of its manufacture. The frame elements 10, 11 and 13 and the handle bars 18 are all formed from tubular members by simple bending operations and are joined by welding. N stampings or dies are necessary. The platform 21 is constructed from a single sheet of material which can be cut to shape, with no preforming of parts necessary. If desired, the platform 21 may be corrugated or provided with some roughened surface to assist in maintaining a firm contact between the childs foot and the platform 21.

Because of the ease of manufacture and the inexpensive nature of the separate parts, the device can be sold at a considerably lower price than can other items of the same general type. Furthermore, there is little that can go Wrong with the device, since its construction is solid and extremely sturdy. This substantially reduces maintenance.

The device which has been described above is our preferred embodiment of this invention. It will be understood by the man skilled in the art that minor modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved toy vehicle consisting of a tubular U-shaped frame member; a tubular joining member rigidly attached to the center of the closed end of said U-shaped member; tubular handle bar support means pivotally attached to the end of said tubular joining member opposite the end which is attached to said U-shaped frame member; handle bar means attached to the upper end of said tubular handle bar support; a front Wheel journalled in the lower end of tubular handle bar support; a pair of rear wheels, each separately journalled on individual axles attached to the separate rear ends of said U-shaped frame member, the center of the closed end of said U-shaped member being disposed approximately midway between the journal axis of said front wheel and the journal axis of said rear wheels; and a platform positioned and rigidly attached to the top surface of said U-shaped frame member, the front and side edge portions of said platform extending adjacent said U-shaped member, the rear end of said platform terminating in a position which is ahead of said axles on which said wheels are carried.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said joining member is substantially straight and is attached to said U-shaped frame member so that its longitudinal axis is at a small upwardly inclined angle with respect to the horizontal, and the longitudinal axis of said handle bar support is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said joining member.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the rear edge of said platform is bent downwardly to form a strengthening edge for said platform.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,112,214 Johnson Sept. 29, 1914 1,674,272 Zander June 19, 1928 2,597,748 Powell May 20, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 678,882 Great Britain Sept. 10, 1952 154,373 Australia Dec. 1, 1953 

1. AN IMPROVED TOY VEHICLE CONSISTING OF A TUBULAR U-SHAPED FRAME MEMBER; A UBULAR JOINING MEMBER RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO THE CENTER OF THE CLOSED END OF SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER; TUBULAR HANDLE BAR SUPPORT MEANS PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO THE END OF SAID TUBULAR JOINING MEMBER OPPOSITE THE END WHICH IS ATTACHED TO SAID U-SHAPED FRAME MEMBER; HANDLE BAR MEANS ATTACHED TO THE UPPER END OF SAID TUBULAR HANDLE BAR SUPPORT; A FRONT WHEEL JOURNALLED IN THE LOWER END OF TUBULAR HANDLE BAR SUPPORT; A PAIR OF REAR WHEELS, EACH SEPARATELY JORUNALLED ON INDIVIDUAL AXLES ATTACHED TO THE SEPARATE REAR ENDS OF SAID U-SHAPED FRAME MEMBER, THE CENTER OF THE CLOSED END OF SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER BEING DISPOSED APPROXIMATELY MIDWAY BETWEEN THE JOURNAL AXIS OF SAID FRONT WHEEL AND THE JOURNAL AXIS OF SAID REAR WHEELS; AND A PLATFORM POSITIONED AND RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO THE TOP SURFACE OF SAID U-SHAPED FRAME MEMBER, THE FRONT AND SIDE EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID PLATFORM EXTENDING ADJACENT SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER, THE REAR END OF SAID PLATFORM TERMINATING IN A POSITION WHICH IS AHEAD OF SAID AXLES ON WHICH SAID WHEELS ARE CARRIED. 